Class J #602 blasts through Blue Ridge, VA with train 25, the westbound Powhatan Arrow, on 5/3/1958. The scheduled time for the Powhatan Arrow was about 11:30AM, though there was not a stop at the Blue Ridge station.

This announcement ran on the rear cover of the 12/5/1958 N&W public timetable. The N&W was proud of its safety record and the associated Harriman safety awards that were received. The Southern Railway was also a consistent winner of the award. (Kevin EuDaly collection)

N&W/Virginian Modeler: The Virginia Oak Tannery - James F. Brewer

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Athearn has released a very nice mode of the Flxible Bus decorated for Consolidated Lines in HO and N scale. This is the HO version with Roanoke on the signboard. (James F. Brewer photo)

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Period vehicles help to emphasize your ear and geographical locale. Adding one or more of these buses to your layout further suggest to visitors just what you are modeling. (James F. Brewer photo)

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The beam house building was huge. Since it wasn't directly involved in the rail activities of the tannery, I didn't really plan to model it. However I ended up with a limited amount of space being available. After reviewing some period prototype photographs I decided to model a small portion. This building still needs figures for workers in the interior, a mechanism to raise and lower the freight elevator, as well as completion of the roof. (James F. Brewer photo)

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The Virginia Oak Tannery was located in Luray, VA, and served by the N&W. A number of buildings, all unique, made up the complex. All buildings are scratchbuilt using commercially available window castings. Some of the buildings have interior detail and all have lighting. There are still lots of details to be added. (James F. Brewer photo)

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This top view photo shows the interior detail I have installed in the beam house. The hides were brought to this building for drying after their initial treatment. I used Tichy lattice for the floor vents. The drying tables are made from Tichy steel railing that added styrene legs and bracing. The "hides" that are drying are used tea bags. (James F. Brewer photo)

A Ride on the Powhatan Arrow - Dave Vos

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It's Friday morning 4/5/1957, and there's plenty of N&W steam at the Roanoke VA passenger platforms. After an overnight connection to N&W's Cannonball at Richmond, the author has arrived in Roanoke on the Powhatan Arrow. Before long, the J-powered westbound Powhatan Arrow will whisk the author and other passengers to Cincinnati Union Terminal. To the left is K2 #118, and the tender at right is that of S1-a switcher #243. (Dave Vos photo)

One of the beautiful tavern-lounge-observation cars brings up the rear of eastbound train 26, the Powhatan Arrow, rolling along the scenic Tug Fork near Naugatuck WV on 4/24/1957. The Powhatan Arrow was a day coach train between Norfolk and Cincinnati. (James F. EuDaly photo)

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This timetable advertised the Powhatan Arrow and appeared on the public timetable from 10/1/1954 (Kevin EuDaly collection)

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Steam rules the mainline near Naugatuck WV on 4/24/1957, at the eastbound Powhatan Arrow streaks past Class A #1208 on 190 coal loads in classic action along U.S. Highway 52 on the Kenova District of the Scioto Division. To the far right of the frame is well-known author/photographer Gen Huddleston, photographing the meet from a different angle. (James F. EuDaly photo)

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The Powhatan Arrow flashed past Y3 2-8-8-2 #2045 under steam at Bluefield WV on 4/5/1957. The author grabbed this photograph out the window of the tavern-lounge-observation car on the Powhatan Arrow while en route to Cincinnati and a connection with the Pennsy to Chicago. (Dave Vos photo)

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Also at Bluefield during the ride, the author grabbed this shot of what is believed to be Y6A #2159. This shot demonstrates the complexity of photography on a fast-moving passenger train with the challenges of slow cameras and equally slow film speeds. (Dave Vos photo)

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These two pages from the April 1957 Official Guide show the Powhatan Arrow's schedules in detail, highlighted in yellow. (Kevin EuDaly collection)

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Class J #602 leads the Powhatan Arrow crossing the high trestle at Maybeury WV on 6/17/1949. This is the way the original coach-only train appeared before the streamlined equipment was purchased. In 1941 15 new streamlined Pm coaches (1720-1734) were initially assigned to the Pocahontas. In 1946 they were rebuilt for service on the new Powhatan Arrow combined with heavyweight class De diners, but with no head-end cars. The new streamlined equipment went into service in December 1949. (Richard J. Cook photo, N&WHS Archives collection)

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Class J #612 has the honors on the head end of the Powhatan Arrow on 5/9/1958 streaking through the mountains near Bluefield WV. (N&WHS Archives collection)

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The seven-car Powhatan Arrow is in command of Class J #607 as it swings through the large sweeping curve at Kenova WV. The date is 7/2/1947, and the Arrow is not yet an all-streamlined train. (N&WHS Archives collection)

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This three-quarters view shows Class J #607 on the Powhatan Arrow at Bedford VA, about midway between Lynchburg and Roanoke. The five-car train is at speed on 8/1/1957. In 1957 Bedford wasn't a regular stop for the Arrow, though by the 1959 timetable there was note indicating at Bedford the train "Stops to receive or discharge revenue passengers for or from points beyond Lynchburg or to receive or discharge revenue passengers for or from points beyond Roanoke." (William E. Warden photo, N&WHS Archives collection)

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Class J #609 rolls through the scenery with the Powhatan Arrow. This is probably in the late 1940s because by 1950 the Arrow's heavyweight diner present in this train was no longer operating in what became a streamlined Arrow. (N&WHS Archives collection)

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Just west of Roanoke at Glenvar, VA, Class J #604 has the Powhatan Arrow speeding westbound just after noon (if it was on time) on 5/10/1951. It was scheduled to arrive Roanoke at 11:50AM and depart at 12:01PM. (Robert F. Collins photo, N&WHS Archives collection)

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The eastbound Powhatan Arrow rolls into Kenova WV on 7/21/1956. The photographer meticulously labeled the slide at train 26, the Powhatan Arrow, which is running with some head-end cars on this particular day. Though heralded as an all-coach train with no checked baggage service, images from this era reveal head-end cars were commonplace. (James F. EuDaly photo)

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Just over two months after the above photo was taken, a different photographer taking this photo on 10/5/1956 was standing with a few feet of the photograph of the above image. The usual power for the Powhatan Arrow, in this case Class J #604, has the train moving at Kenova WV. The eastbound Arrow, train 26, was scheduled to both arrive and depart at 11:55AM at Kenova, with no time in the schedule for anything but a quick drop off and pick up of passengers: its next stop to the east was Williamson. (N&WHS Archives collection)

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On 1/18/1959, a westbound diesel-powered Powhatan Arrow is rolling past the Roanoke Shops Freight Car Shop. Note the combine car in the consist in the early diesel era for the N&W. (Gordon Hamilton Photo)

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In 1949 N&W purchased 14 streamlined coaches: two Class P1 (501-502); two Class P2 (511-512); and 10 Class P3 (531-540); four streamlined Class D1 diners (491-494), with two for the Arrows (491-492) and two (493-494) for other service; and two P4 streamlined round-end tavern-lounge-observation cars (581-582). These were used to equip an all-streamlined Powhatan Arrow with all new cars, wnt the continued with no head-end cars. Brand new round-end clas P4 observation car 581 was captured by the builder's photographer on 11/12/1949. (N&WHS Archives collection)

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A long-since diesel powered Powhatan Arrow is arriving westbound at Kenova WV in the spring of 1969 shortly before its discontinuance. Late in the steam era and throughout the diesel era the Powhatan Arrow carried head-end cars, as is the case here with two head-end cars and three coaches behind blue GP9 #517. (Mike Schafer photo)

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N&W steam was still powering many of N&W's trains in the spring of 1957. The tavern-lounge-observation car on the eastbound Powhatan Arrow streaks past a 190-car loaded coal train at Naugatuck WV on 4/24/1957. The Powhatan Arrow was powered by Class J #608, white the coal train was powered by Class A #1208. (James F. EuDaly photo)